Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1887-07-22
Henry Georges New Party.


In the North Amcercan Rerieto for July
Henry George presents prospectus of his
new party. In his own opinion the old
organizations are dead, inasmuch as in
recent struggles there has been no princi-
pie which could be stated as test ques
ton between them, and the contests have
been fought merely on questions of per
sonal character; and consequently there
is not only a favorable opportunity but
a necessity for new issues and new par
ties. The organization which acc ording
to Mr.. Georges prophetic vision will con-
troll the future is the party, rallying about
a banner on which is inscribed mo
tive of improvements! Away with the
individual ownership of land" Mr.
George shrms that the land question is
the same thing as the labor question.
The fate Of his new party will depend
upon the extent to which this bold state
ment is excepted and approved. The re-
lations of labor and capital are somewhat
strained; wrong, injustice and suffering
a.e frequently developed from existing
conditions and relations of men, and til,
army OF the disconnected grows numerous
and strong. But is it possible to gather
all the soldiers under single banner
How many of the host of discontinued
have each panacca for the general woe
to which they are as thoroughly commit
ted as to the fact of discomfort itself Mr..
George thinks that fatal weakness of la
Dor movements in the past has been that
they could formulate no large vital issue.
The Union Labor party, with selfap
pointed representatives, of all sorts OF
opinions and crotchets," is described by
him as one of those attempts to manufac-
ture a political party which are fore
doomed to failure" The question is, as
the Washington Star very sensibly puts
it, whether men will surrender their own
hobby of curing all ills by aboli.hing
ultimately the individual ownership of
land is the only remedy proposed for ex
isting evils which is not crotchety. Will
those who think that be does not 60 far
enough, and those who, though dissatis
fed with existing things, think that he is
off the track altogether, combine under
his leadership viii not the man who
sees the source OF all our woes in the evils
of our present transportation system, or
the man who yearns to appropriate by ex
elusive taxation, or in any way which may
he convenient and effective, the mil
lionaire's wealth in stocks and bonds as
well as his profits in the increase OF land
values, stigma'ize Mr.. Georges pet RENE
dy of abolishing individul ownship in
land as a crochet, and pronouce any eff
fort to relieve existing discontents in e
manner not conforming to his views to
be "foredoomed to failure I" And viii
the mass of people, without rival remedies
to sugges', consent TO deprive themselves
OF the right OF individual ownership even
IL land Mr.. Georges new party is Ger
tain to cut an important figure in the mex:
presidential election, but whether any
great body of men will accept permanent
~ aud ID sincerity nj, trrcnfugs In pottrf-
cal economy: or whether, IL they should
rally nominally to the support Of his prin-
ciples they would eHforce them when sue
cessful with the same show Of harmony
that The defeat permits by avoiding the
necessary consequences of practical en-
fnrcement. are questions more difficult tn
answer. According TO the pubic response
it will be determined whether the George
land theory shall amount al mos In more
than a convenient rsllying cry TO- the dis
servicesble only in defeat, and
abandoned as impracticable If victory
follows